Not Just For The Pay
by Byakuya Angel
Summary: Now on a ship, I reflect on my life. My crimes, the people I met... everything. And I question my emotions, my feelings for the one person that believed I could abandon my life as a petty theif. Uptated.
1. A New Blade

Not Just For The Pay

Jen: Hi, it's me again. I know that I haven't updated **Blood Enemies** in a while, but for the Soul Calibur fans, here's a fic in first person POV. She's an OC, the **only one** that will be in this fic, I promise.

Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Calibur, Namco does.

Chapter 1: A New Blade

Ever since I was younger, at least ten years old, I wanted to see the world in a much more different view than what was already known. Up until about three years ago I had no family to tie to; only my duties of which I made my living. My loyalties were vital to my superior. I did not go outright against them, but I cannot say our actions were faultless. We were the lowest in the social class of Europe. Our title were brigands, more or less bandits; thieves, mercenaries and assassins that answered to only one person: Chester. He was not the oldest among us, but probably the most cunning.

For a while now, he had been teaching me tactics of laying low in battle and other things only he believed I could only do. But as I had said before, I took **no one** as a friend.

"How about a quick sparring match, Miser?" I asked. The two of us were in an open glen not very far from downtown London. Greenish, dark hair fell in her eyes as she unsheathed her katana, Red Crow. "Just cuz you have one weapon doesn't mean I'll hold back." I shook my head as I took out my iron staff, "Of course not."

We both measured about a seven foot distance from each other, then Miser threw her boomerang-like shruiken at me. It managed to spin around my head before reaching my shoulder. However when she slashed at me once with her sword, my staff clashed with the blade. Instead of jumping backwards, we pushed our weapons closer to the other's. "You've...sure gotten...stronger," I muttered under the pressure. My opponent replied, "So have...you, Mel. But you need to fight more men; they're perfect practice!"

Miser had a propensity to fight a lot of men; many more than me. I can't say that she killed any because the two of us were theives. I wasn't so much of a pickpocket as I was a true cat burgler, but I stole anything from hotels and whatever any weary traveler carried in the woods. Theft was my only way of life, but my knowledge of many different weapons was Chester's real reason for taking me under his wing.

Rusty Wing was once again thrust at me and I spun my staff to counter it. Miser caught her shruiken and swung her sword. The blade landed on my arm shortly before I kicked the outside of her legs and knocked her down. She dropped her katana, but as Miser jumped to her feet, she countered my head-long attack. Before I noticed how she held her sword, I felt a dull jolt of pain in my stomach which caused me to fall backwards. Peering up, I saw that Miser had hit me with the handle of Red Crow. "Didn't you say that yer used to wielding Chinese Blades?" she asked while pointing the end of her blade towards my face. All I did in return was place both pairs of for and middle fingers together, pressed them on the sides of the blade and pushed it up and away from my face.

"If you know how to wield a sword, use one," Miser snapped, "I wasn't planning on killing you today, but at least put those long boots to some use!" Looking down at my black boots, I knew that she had a point. Although she was only half serious about killing me, Miser knew how to hide her weapons skillfully. That was a major objective when we acted as commoners. The iron staff I carry around is of sentimental value, so I never really can part with it. But truth be told, I had taught myself to use a Chinese blade because they are usually common around here. "Are you going to the market on your way to go to Chester's?" I asked. Miser sheathed her sword and answered, "Nah. I've gotta check on the Valentine Mansion. Let me know if you run into Greed."

Among Chester's brigands, Greed was the only one whose origin and lineage were unknown. Miser's family, I heard, died in a shipwreck coming from Japan. Why she yearns to become the world's greatest thief is a complete mystery to me, but I have no particular reason to ask why. Red Crow and Rusty Wing were the only things left that reminded her of her parents. As for me, I had lost my parents in a house fire three years ago and I could read, write and wield a limited amount of weapons. My rod is able to contract and extend at will. It was sometimes useful, but other times, like Miser had said, was a hassle.

I shrank the rod to one foot long and slid it into underneath my belt as Miser ran to town. The road I took was seperate from hers, but the destination was the same to some extent. With my face looking ahead, I kept my eyes on the weapons shop. My feet felt the dirt road begin to harden as I got deeper into town. The sky above me was a little cloudy, but no less homey. I turned to see that my destination was right beside me.

Opening the door, the bell in the doorway jingled to notify my presence. "Hello there!" a cheerful voice welcomed me. At the counter was a girl in an apron with a red dress underneath that looked to be my age. Behind and beside her were nothing but weapons. There were axes, sickles, and swords. The swords, I could tell, were categorized by origin and discipline: Chinese blades and Chinese swords were first, then katanas, then twin swords, rapiers and one extra long sword. Over the years I had encountered people with all of these types of swords, except this one. I had only heard about the type; it was called a zweihänder, or beinhänder. Only those with the strength and will were able to fight with one. "All that you see except this one are for sale," the shopkeeper said. Thinking as much, I asked, "Was it in for repairs?" She shook her head, "Just some proffesional cleaning. The owner had dropped by less than a week ago, It was well kept, but he insisted that I'd have it done. And by the way it looked, I could tell that he was no ordinary swordsman." I looked down at the sword and back at her as she continued, "He looked like a knight or a mercenary, I couldn't really tell."

From my research, and my father, only landsknects had zweihanders. Not that I myself had met any, but it was rare to find swords fo that kind. "Many have offered to buy it, but I told them the what I had just said to you. I haven't seen the owner lately, but if you do, tell him that is sword is finished for cleaning and tune-up." Nodding, I asked, "What does he look like?"

"He's a blond haired man with blue eyes who looks around twenty. There's a scar that goes down the right side of his face, and he's only a little taller than the both of us." That was quite a description coming from a store keeper. Usually, they'd be like, "He was a blond-haired, blue-eyed man." But she added, "Enough of that! Haha, would you like to buy something?"

I nodded, "What is a good Chinese blade?" She handed me one in which was rather impressive with a blue handle and sharp edges. "This one just came in. The blade is sturdy and isn't too heavy eigher. Try it out, if you like." My left hand reached for the handle and grasped it. About as long as my arm, the sword was balanced in my grip. I swung it once, and the blade cut through the air with ease. "Like it?"

"I'll take it."

----

Jen: Hey, what did you think for a first chapter? I hope you enjoyed it. Please review, I'd love to hear from you!


	2. Tasteless Revenge

Jen: Okay, next one up for the block.

Disclaimer: Namco owns Soul Calibur, not me. The marble ashtray idea was not mine either, I took it from the movie, _Creepshow_. Perfect for Halloween, Stephen King helped out with that film.

Chapter 2: Tasteless Revenge

Later that day in Chester's hideout, he was smoking an ivory pipe while sitting in a leather covered wooden chair. The hideout was more or less a small room with few luxiouries. The floor was the ground, only paved and hardened. To his left sat a small side table with a marble ash tray I had stolen on my first real heist. The other brigands sat around on benches, sharpened their weapons. or rolled dice for the other's items. Of course, all of us had to give Chester rights to everything we had except our clothes, weapons, and one luxioury item. That one item I had was a choker that had a black ribbon around my neck. The pendant was a gold plate that held a black ruby in the center which was almost the opposite of my blue eyes. I had been told once that they were not a familiar hue, so that was another reason why others avoided me. But Chester took that as an opportunity.

"Are you ready for tonight's heist?" he asked as puffs of smoke seeped out his nostrils. My head nodded against my will. I knew that we were going to steal the Valentine family's black diamond. This was planned for a month and none of us knew who would go in and steal it. Miser was going to be the lookout, and according to Chester, _I _was revealed as the actual theif who had the hardest part: grabbing the damned thing and hiding it until we got back to headquarters.

Chester immediately recognized the expression on my face. "Don't be like that, Mel. You can steal anything else if you think that would help you avenge your parents. As long as _I_ get them after you're done, that is." I sneered at that sarcastic red-head. If he wasn't my boss, he'd have something else to go with the scar on his face!

After my parents died, no, were **slaughtered** when I was about fourteen, I vowed to never rely on anyone but myself. For the past three years I found whatever about heartless and inhumane killers. but to no avail; nobody fit the region and/or the time. Japan...Spain...Germany, not England.

Isabella Valentine, I heard, studied the supernatural. Things that mere commoners would get burned for if caught. Chester was not a complete heretic, but he kept anyone in the syndicate from believing that there were occult factors in this world. But to me, it was reality. The one that killed my mother and father left them only in a sea of blood and a burning three-room cottage; we lived very simply. I had gone to town to buy bread and cheese that day. Upon my return, the house was in flames and the remains of my parents were nothing but charred bits that I could hardly identify. It smelled of burned meat when the heat died. I had made sure that no one decided to build over what had once been there. Luckily, the local people never went to the forest; there was an exception of a few wiccans that came for conjuring spells, but they were all tried and burned.

Whenever I didn't have a heist, I spent my time looking for evidence of the perpetrator. I'd continue my search tomorrow.

"Good luck tonight," Chester replied while a Cheshire cat grin crept across his face.

xxx

As the sun was setting, I sat in a white oak tree sharpening my new sword. All I could find was a smooth stone by one of the large roots that came up out of the ground. "You didn't show it to Chester, huh?" Miser's voice unexpectedly came from behind me. She flipped to another branch and sat on a limb in front of me. "That looks like a nice piece of work, that sword," she snickered, "But if we hafta fight, you'd better use that iron rod of yours."

"How come?" I asked. Not that I didn't trust Miser, I wanted to answer in what she knew about Ivy. I only knew that she was the only living heir to the Valentines, an aristocratic family of alchemists. "Well, not only is she an alchemist," Miser started, "and her weapon is a unique sword that extends in seven pieces like a sickle, but I heard that Ivy Valentine has some connection to that old pirate, Cervantes De Leòn."

No, I didn't think Miser wasn't smart. Thank goodness neither of us were assigned the "Black Tail Inn," yet. The old geezer used to go (and still probably does) to that place almost on a nightly basis! "Well, let's get that jewel," I sighed and sheathed my sword. "I like that scabbard, too," she added as we jumped out of the tree. The emerald grass we landed on was rather soft. Through the darkening forests, we sprinted and watched for travelers. "Remember, if you see people, call the person you want to take out," Miser reminded me. In a way, it humored us, but it sure made Chesrer pleased. Even on the biggest of heists, we can make a few "stops" on the way; whatever we did, the main objective was to retrieve the real prize and make sure that no one outside our group got their hands on it.

Darkness finally descended upon us, which meant the time was soon ripe. We had stopped by a small creek to rest up so the two of us would have enough energy to steal the diamond. The Valentine estate was about two hundred yards away from our location. I went to fill my canteen with water as Miser began to break a loaf of bread for our dinner. The creek ran very slowly with clear, cool water. When it was full, I attached it to my belt. I splashed some of it into my face to stay awake; damn it, that Chester.

My reflection, even in the dark, was very clear. My short ebony hair fell over the right side of my face and no farther than past my chin. Even the light from the moon made my pale skin almost illuminate. I began to realize something as I looked down and saw myself. Why did I truly want to live a life of committting crime after crime? It didn't satisfy me, nor did I open up to anyone. Chester and Miser were the only ones I trusted, but I never relied on them. And I still didn't find any clues to my parent's killer.

Why...? Why...!?

Am I...crying...? No...but it still hurts. They were kept behind my eyes, in exception of one that fell into the stream. The remnants of it had rippled on the surface and revealed another's reflection across from mine. It was that of a man that I did not recognize; he did not appear much older than I was. He had a full, healthy face with long golden hair that framed it. "Get up," his stern voice demanded me. As I looked up, he reached out his left hand towards me. It with the rest of his body, was covered in silver armor. I couldn't act concieted towards this man, nor kind. But as far as I could tell from his expression, he couldn't either.

Taking his hand, I was still cautious of Miser seeing him with me. His grip was firm and secure, as were his sapphire eyes as I found my feet again. I saw that he was unarmed, defenseless if anyone came to sneak up on him. Yet there was an intimidating air about him in a way that made my tuition tell me not to underestimate him...nor _fear_ him. "Mel! Mel, you've got to eat some time!"

"Scheize!" I swore under my breath. The stranger apparently heard and understood what I had said. His voice was deep, but not very smooth. "I see that you are still under another's influence and control, but I will leave you now. Farewell." As the blond walked away, I ran back to where Miser sat impatiently. "Come on, Mel. Do you know how much trouble I went through to get this bread? I had to threaten that Italian girl just to get to the front counter! Besides that, it's all that we have."

I took a small handfull from a loaf and ate a portion of it. The flavor of the sourdough was invigorating and melted in my mouth. "It's my favorite, Miser. You shouldn't have!" I joked. "Whatever," she muttered with her mouth full," do you think that we should've already gotten the diamond by now?"

Shaking my head, I looked into the distance, "No, not yet. Ivy's the type of alchemist who puts out all-nighters. When every light single light in the place are out, that's our cue." Miser shoved another piece of bread into her mouth as thoughts of the blond-haired stranger came to mind. Who was he, and of business did he have to find me? The armor he had shone in the moonlight and had gold trim at the feet, neck and waist. Was he possibly a knight?

Then I remembered what the shopkeeper had told me earlier today, about a man that looked similar to him. He was barely two inches taller than I was, as far as I can tell. Not only that, but I did see a thin scar starting from the right side of his forehead down past his cheek. Was this just a coincidence or fate? Either way, it didn't matter because he was already gone. It wouldn't matter if I even saw him again; I didn't know his name and he more than likely didn't know mine either. After taking a swig from my canteen, I got up and realized that the mansion was out in the open.

The two of us then picked up our weapons and silently sped towards the great building. I whispered to my partner in crime as we stood against an outside wall, "Miser, this room leads to the one Chester said has the diamond. But-" She stopped me, "And you want me to make sure Ivy doesn't doesn't wake up?"

I nodded, "Also, it's on the back end of the mansion. Can you get in?" Miser had her usual malicious grin, "Uh-huh; I'll be fine. _You'd_ better let me know when you've got it so we can make a break for it." After that we held up our right hands and smacked the backs of them twice against the other's. This was the brigand's handshake and farewell gesture that we used as a sign of respect.

We split up after that. Actually, Miser ran to the back like a true ninja. She explained to me one day that ninja actually do not have permanent positions and can do almost anything. I think she said that now she was classified as a "missing nin" or whatever that was. From the window to the ground, it was twenty-five feet, at the _least_. Taking out my staff, I extended it to about twenty feet and elevated myself almost at the window. While holding on to the rod, I touched the wall and made a small platform from the material out of the wall and climbed on top of it. Quickly, I opened the window, contracted my staff, climbed inside the window and made the platform disentigrate back into the wall.

Truthfully, I had felt uneasy about stealing from another alchemist. But I couldn't abandon the heist, especially one this big. As an alchemist, I kept it a secret from everyone else. If Chester had found out what I was...I don't even want to think about the outcome. I only joined him because I had nowhere else to go. But if I find anything tonight that could help me, I'll make a break for it when nobody suspects it.

With two weapons, Ivy might have a match with me. However, I didn't want to have to fight her at this time of night. Stealthily, I crept out of the room until I felt a string against my ankle. Looking down, I grinned; trip wires.

They might have been set up throughout the manor. This now gave me another challenge...and another reason to get this done. Silently down the hall, I found the room in the next door. It was large and was almost a combination of a laboratory (a/n: Think Renaissance, people!) and a library when it came down to a comparison. There were several book shelves as well as tables full of glass instruments. What had really caught my eye, were the two mural-like portraits. One on each wall, they were painted accurately down to every last detail. One was a painting of Ivy in a dark blue ball gown. She looked to be in her mid twenties in that portrait, but she must now be around thirty.

Her appearance was rather suprising for her age as well, to most people. Most rich noble women would have long hair that would be tied up. Isabella Valentine, however, had hair a little shorter than my own that was white. That also made her blue eyes almost glow with her dark smile.

The picture opposite of it was of her and her parents. This was now more obvious that Ivy was indeed adopted. Both her mother and father had brown hair and neither of them had eyes like hers. But I shook the thought off for the moment to check for trip wires. On the desk that was next to a mahogany bookshelf, was a small wooden box. I opened it slowly, just in case of a hidden trigger, to reveal the black diamond. Not as big as a lemon, it glistened in the night sky.

After admiring it, I stuffed it into my bag and closed the box. My right hand seemed to stray across the desk. What it found was a leather-bound, hardcover book. I do not know what had come over me, but I just tucked it in underneath the diamond.

Miser came down the hall twoards the window. Although bleak in the moonlight, I could tell that she was anxious. "Mel, do you have it?" she asked me in a hushed whisper. I held it out a little from the bag as proof. After putting it back in I warned her, "You go first. This place is full of trip wires."

"Let's just go, **now**."

Then she opened the window and jumped out. I shortly went after her; slinging the bag over my shoulder and securing my weapons, I held on to the windowsill and closed the shutter-like glass. As soon as my feet the ground, the two of us dashed the field and into the dark woods.

We didn't stop to rest until the hideout was within reach. After I had caught my breath, a look of relief was in Miser's dark eyes. I didn't ask why she was exasperated right away; it wasn't a good idea to get her worked up after we had completed the mission. When we had entered the room, we saw him sitting casually in his chair and drinking brandy. The alcohol didn't leave any putrent odors in the hideout, which meant that he hadn't gotten drunk while waiting for us. It was indeed a rare occasion to see him not sober; in fact, Chester rarely drank more than two glasses of dry wine during a meal. "I assume you had no trouble getting in and out?" he asked as soberly as I had expected him to be.

"Not at all," I replied, "the timing had to be later than planned. We had to make sure that Ivy was fast asleep."

Chester stroked his scarred cheek and put his glass down on the end table. Taking his hand off the glass, he held it out, "Give me the diamond." I reluctantly handed it to him. If I hadn't known it before, I would now know that Chester has more than just a fetish for valuble objects. With a smile, he dismissed us both.

Outside, Miser still looked irritated. Usually, I wouldn't bother, but something told me that her expression was to cover up another. "Miser," I began, "if you have a problem-" She turned towards me, even more petulant, "It's not what you think, Melanie!"

I blinked; Miser _never_ called me by my real name before! But then she shook her head and replied, "Sorry. It's just that...we weren't the only ones out there tonight."

"What do you mean?"

Miser continued, "I'll explain tomorrow. It's too dangerous to talk about it tonight. I only nodded in agreement, but now I was anxious to know who Miser spoke of.

--

Jen: I'm back. Thanks for reading this chapter. The next will have guest appearances by **Edward ****Elric **and **Roy Mustang** from _Full Metal Alchemist_! Why? Because they fit the plot. (According to my standards, anyhow.) Later!


	3. Waiting in the Wings

Jen: I'd like to thank **hyperdark06** for reviewing and everyone else that read. This one has more humor and ironically...more suspense. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Calibur or Full Metal Alchemist, okay?

Chapter 3: Waiting in the Wings; Diamond in the Rough

The two of us departed quickly later that night. I had made it to the remains of my old home without any confrontations, but there was still some paranoia in the back of my mind. My only comfort was when sleep overtook me.

**. . .**

I immediately went to the bakery the next morning. It was right next to the weapons shop, which was the place I wanted to go to afterwards. The owner of the bakery, Roy, stood behind the counter rolling dough. He was in his mid twenties and he had fine, short black hair and rarely smiled. An eye-patch took away most of the looks on his face, but still looked more than half-way decent. Edward, his assistant, was the one working at the counter today. Ed was around my age but had long golden hair that he kept tied back in a braid. His sunny colored eyes always gave an edge to his reckless grin.

"Great to see you, Melanie. What can a do for you today?" If he was cheerier than that all the time, I'd punch his lights out in front of God and everybody and tell him to get a life. Usually, Ed would only keep a book and read whenever he didn't work in the back. Roy must have caught him, since not many people were coming in and no book was in sight. "Two baguettes, if you please."

Grinning, Ed brought them out and handed them to me. "That will be two shillings, Melanie." Reaching into my bag, I pulled out the two coins and gave them to him.

I heard another's voice, female, addressing Edward in a squeal. "Eddie! Do you have any more hard rolls?"

As I saw poor Ed's face turn red, the girl, Valeria, smiled sweetly and tugged at his braid. "We're out," he stiffly replied, looking for help from Roy who happened to be enjoying himself. "Liar," Valeria whispered, "now bring them out quick if you don't want to be three feet tall!" Poor Edward Elric, and at his place of work too. Well, at least...oh no...

"What did you say to me? What did you _just_ say to me?!" Eyes now burning, he almost jumped across the counter to pounce on the Italian girl and try to pull her hair out. However, I held him by the shoulders and turned to Valeria saying, "You just _had_ to provoke him, didn't you?"

Because of her haughty and charming personality, I was surprised that she wasn't already married. Her appearance didn't help contradict the idea of it either, since she was one of the most beautiful women in London! I didn't envy her one bit though, the reason being was that I enjoyed my freedom. Miser and I avoided the custom of marrying at our ages, especially to men old enough to be our own fathers! I could not stand being a working wench who had to clean and cook all day without going outdoors.

"Just let him go, Valeria," I sighed and then winked at Ed, "he's probably just tired this morning from wrestling with dough to get the other orders." Roy sighed as he headed towards the oven, "Those children..."

Ed looked at me, then back at Valeria. Immediately, he yawned, "Melanie's right, right before you two came in, I actually had to make six loaves: three were sourdough and three were pumpernickel." Knowing that she had lost this battle, Valeria turned around with a pouty face and walked out. By the way Edward had looked, he was actually telling the truth; flour was all over his face and clothes. Clutching the loaves, I asked, "So, who had bought the pumpernickel?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Ask Roy about that, I was rolling dough at the time." Roy walked up to the front and said to him, "Because I didn't want a runt like you to handle someone that wasn't a regular. He was a German around my age. Ed wanted to take him, but like I had just said, I wanted to take the order. The man wasn't really tall at all, but he made me start to think about how few crimes have been occurring lately. But so far, it's just my opinion."

There wasn't an ounce in me to not blame Roy Mustang for believing that. The one he had described was more than likely the man I met last night. If Roy was right, Chester had better be more careful if he wants to stay alive.

After placing another shilling as a tip for Ed, I walked out the door. I went to Hualin's shop; she was in the middle of a conversation with Miser when I first walked through the door. It surprised me that Miser was being sociable, with a girl from a country that her own opposed for almost one hundred years. But I guess it didn't matter as long as she would get good service. "Mel, are you here to fix your sword already?" the ninja asked me.

Smirking, I replied, "Just to visit. And to check up on something." Surprisingly enough, the zweihänder was still there waiting for its owner. He could have gone to pick it up after buying that bread last night. I will say this at least, that man is an enigma. Most certainly. "You haven't seen him either?" Hualin asked me. Involuntarily, I shook my head this time.

Before I could say anything else, Miser grabbed my arm and hurried me out saying, "It was nice meeting and talkin' with you, but we have to really get going. Bye!" When we vanished from sight into the back, she looked around for anyone, probably brigands.

"Miser, what is your problem?" I asked impatiently. She clamped her hand over her mouth to shush me. Never letting go, she held up a black feather. "The Bird of Passage has returned." The Bird of Passage, that was... Tira!

Unlike the two of us, Tira was raised to kill people and loved doing it. What was worse about it was that her personality changed often, from an extreme rage-like behavior to...a form of twisted happiness. So far as I knew about her, all that ever accompanied her were a flock of ravens. Greed had this story (that he had more than likely made up,) and only told whenever Chester's ears weren't able hear: A wizard from Germany cast a spell on her parents and siblings and turned them into ravens. After Tira found out who the man was, she killed him on sight and hung his head and limbs in five different trees for them to feed on. She was traveling with ravens ever since. I thought that it was too far fetched, however, even for me. Chester's uncle, who was the original leader until about nine years ago had raised her and taught her an assassin's work.

"She was watching us pull off the heist last night, but I don't know why Tira didn't bother killing any of us, including Ivy," Miser whispered. That surprised even me; Tira hesitating to kill? She was the type who could slice a person to chunks with her ring-blade outright just because she was bored. And if Chester found out about her return, he'd have more than a field day. More assassins would get jealous and start killing to impress him and in hopes for more money. That was all that they ever wanted...and it was spent as fast as it was earned.

And what of the thieves like Miser, Greed and myself? It might not even make much of a difference anyway, but I was glad that the two of us were now on "break" from crimes until we were assigned another. This would give me enough time to read through Ivy's diary for any clues. "I know why you've been stealing books, Mel," she added just as quietly as before. I turned my head as she continued, "You I can't read much of my own language, let alone English. But before you go off to find the murderer of your parents, let me give you this warning: avoid the sword Soul Edge as much as possible. If it does, just watch your back."

She immediately left following those words. I was confused, but there had to be more Miser wasn't telling me.

...

Later that day, I read an entry in the diary:

_My research seems to be going nowhere. After Father's violent death I took it upon myself to study the cursed sword and possibly destroy it._

I asked myself, _Cursed sword? Could this be...?_

_Soul Edge has been causing immeasurable havoc all over Europe. Especially in Germany. For many a month, Mother's health has begun to slowly diminish. She had taken ill and has not shown any signs of recovering. The apothecary...and I fear the worst.­_

I found the date on the upper right-hand corner. The year was 1585. This happened to be the year after my family and I had left Germany for England. At the time, Father only told me that he wanted to live where Mother grew up and where they met. Try as it may, Mother was worried about his job; he had helped train landsknects in Ostrheinsburg.

Turning the page, I had expected it to be as it was:

_Mother died last night. She had told me that I was left on the manor's doorstep as an infant and that there was no trace of my biological parents._

That was all that was written in that entry. A little helpful and sad at the same time. No wonder Ivy never left the mansion except for only a few occasions, her parents abandoned her and might not even be alive. I could only imagine growing up in a lie. I would never know that, not after the possibility of it being completely lost. But...

...

"Any luck?"

"Just about the sword. I didn't get much," I admitted. Miser nodded, she knew very well what I meant. "There's going to be a performance of _Antigone_ in the town square at sunset, do you want to go see it?" she later asked me. This would have been the first play I have seen yet, so why not?

Jen: Whaddaya think? Not too bad, I hope. Please tell me what you think! Chapter Four is gonna have more action, I promise!


	4. Realization

Jen: New chapter, but I think is a little shorter. But hey! If you didn't realize who it was in Chapter Two that Mel ran into, you'll find out here! Haha! But I guess it was probably obvious... Not only that but tell me about what you think about SC: IV because I have no PS3 or XBox 360. Sorry about the delay, summer vacation was a drag and I didn't get to write much more than this, so don't expect anything from _**Blood Enemies**_ just yet.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Soul Calibur series or the play _Antigone_. It's a great play, but Shakespeare didn't write any until the years after 1591, so I can't have anything like _Julius Caesar_, _Romeo and Juliet_, _Hamlet_, or _McBeth_. Sorry.

Chapter 4: Realization

It was hard to weave around to get a good view of the stage. Miser didn't really seem to mind the bustle as much as I thought she would. People were coming from left to right, and I could barely get myself through an opening to see the actors. I did, however, have a funny feeling that it wasn't going to get any better than this. Turning around to see the horizon, I saw that the sun was beginning to sink into the orange and purple sky. The play would soon commence.

An applause rang out as a middle-aged man dressed in what looked like a white toga recited the prologue of the plot. Oedipus, who was a king of an island of Greece, had a curse in which was caused by his father. His father had raped a boy and was cursed by the gods of Greece. Oedipus had been sent away in his child hood, so he never knew who his father was and had been told that he would have to become king, but kill the present one. That king was his father, and Oedipus married his mother and had four children through her; two sons and two daughters.

Oedipus eventually died and he gave his kingdom to his two sons, Ectocles and Polyneces. The two brothers shared a kindom, once a month the other would rule. However, the two got into a disagreement and declared war on each other. None of them got to receive the throne because the brothers literally killed each one another in battle. The man who did, Creon, was their uncle. Polyneces, who was considered a traitor, was not allowed to be buried or would be handled with as Creon wished. The story continues with one of the two sisters, Antigone.

As the play went on, I was beginning to understand it more and more. My favorite character was definitely Tirisias. The chorus was well consisted of people looking like the common people of the town of which the play took place. They would take sides with anyone and repeat after another character or quote some form of forshadowing statement.

One of the members of the chorus that caught my eye was a person in a hooded cloak. After Creon left to free Antigone, I saw Aislne Drossel's blade revealed. In mere seconds, the whole cast on stage was butchered to pieces like beef for stew. That violet-eyed killer Tira was standing in the middle of the stage, like she wanted to select her next victim. That was a stupid move on her part; she revealed herself in front of a crowd! "Mel, I'll meet you at the creek if I can. Get the hell out of here!" I turned to my partner-in-crime, she had drawn her sword already.

"But, Miser!"

"I mean it! If I fight her, she can't get to you!" As soon as she said it, Miser followed the psychotic assassin as I pulled my skull mask to my face. As the two fought atop stage right, I took stage left and ran to the back streets until I found the forest just outside city limits.

Thank goodness that Tira didn't spot me as I fled. If she saw me, I wouldn't have made it out of town. The memory of the creek's location slowly came to my mind as I raced through the forest. Behind me, I heard a flapping of wings; it was a raven. It flew up ahead to a tree in front of me and perched on a branch.

Stopping dead in my tracks, I looked at the bird as closely as I could from my view. No doubt that it was one of Tira's minions, or it wouldn't have behaved like this. It didn't look like a normal raven, either. The feathers gave off a dark violet glow and it's eyes glowed a bright and bloody red. Also, the creature seemed to smile sinisterly at me. An unearthly shriek came from its beak as the raven dove down from its perch to attack me from above.

As I drew my sword for a battle, a wide and familiar-looking blade came down and decapitated the creature. The head rolled to the side and a glowing purple mist emanated from the neck. I gasped just as I saw the body of the bird flop as its wound bled out blood and the same purple haze. A gloved hand covered my mouth however as I did so and didn't let go until the mist faded. Once I was released, I turned around and held out my sword. The end touched a blade by only so much; it happened to be the zweihänder from the store. Its owner was wearing armor, that was all that I could see at first because he was crouched behind it. As the breeze blew, I saw long blonde hair over his shoulder. My tuition had told me that he was the man from last night, but how good was he, anyway?

My question was quickly answered as quickly as I had to dodge his attack. He had swung his blade to knock me into the air; I had expected that. Once my feet touched the ground, I swiped at him and landed my blade on his armor. As a matter of about two seconds, he had knocked me down by whacking me with the flat side of his sword.

I landed on my backside as quickly as I stood back up. Surprisingly, the swordsman didn't attack me; instead, he just swung his large blade on his shoulders, looking impressed. Walking closer to him, I saw the scar on the right side of his face. It didn't stand out as much as his long hair did. It was halfway down his back, but he seemed very serious and (from what I experienced earlier,) dangerous. "Who... are you?"

Blue eyes calm, he answered me with a voice I didn't expect to hear, "Siegfried." The way he spoke to me sent chills down my spine as those dark eyes of his seemed to pull me closer into them. "What is your name?"

I had no idea why, but I had a hunch that I could trust this Siegfried, "I am Melanie." His somewhat soft voice seemed a little more like his personality, mysterious but blunt, "Melanie, it's too dangerous for you to get involved with this." What was this that he was talking about? Did he know what I knew? With his mood sounding irritated, Siegfried turned and continued, "I'll be staying in London for a few more weeks; come find me if you need anything." Confused, I just shrugged as he lowered his sword on his back. It looked so much taller than even he was. Siegfried started walking away; I couldn't let him go, not when there was so much I needed to know!

"Siegfried, wait!"

He stopped after I called out to him. His long hair was slung over one shoulder as he turned towards me and asked, "Ja?"

"How much do you know about Cervantes de León?" There was some sense of concern in his eyes, but that was all that I could see as Siegfried answered my question, "I know more than I want to, let's just leave it at that. To explain how or why would take days that we do not have; you need your rest now, anyhow."

Before he left, Siegfried added, "The creek is over there to your left, take ten paces." Immediately afterwards, he tossed me a small cloth sack similar to his larger one. Right when I caught it, the man was completely out of sight. Just then, I remembered that I needed to also hurry. Sheathing my sword and carrying the bag, I headed towards the creek to meet up with Miser.

..

When I finally reached it, Miser was limping towards me at the same time. If I wasn't close enough for my shoulder for support, Miser would have collapsed to the ground. "Damn that Tira," she panted, "I hope that Chester doesn't find out that I fought her."

I helped her sit down near a tree as she drank from my canteen. "How many were killed?"

"People?"

"Yes. How many of them were killed?"

She thought for a moment and answered, "About twenty, maybe more than that. I came very close to running her into my sword, but one of those stupid ravens clawed at me almost the whole time we were fighting!" Miser rolled up the torn sleeve to show me where she was scratched by one of Tira's pet ravens. The cuts weren't open wide nor bleeding much, but a purple mist from before emanated from the cuts. "Miser, do you see what I see?" came straight from my mouth.

Looking it over, she shrugged, "It's nothing, it doesn't hurt much at all; like any of the wounds I've had. What's wrong?" I couldn't say anything about it at the time, but I insisted, "Still, let me get that cleaned up so it won't get infected." Ripping one of the cuffs of my leggings, I folded it and heavily sprinkled water over it before rubbing an herb's leaves on it. After that, I pressed it gently on Miser's arm. As soon as my hand came in contact with the cuts, the haze vanished and the flesh halfway cleaved almost immediately.

I expected a thanks from her; but it was just a hope. "Tira was after you, Mel. That was all that she talked about during the fight." Whatever that meant to Miser, it wasn't good on my part. "She's a naturally psychotic person anyway, you and I both know that. But what got me was that she was obsessed about it, too." It definitely had something to do with what Siegfried had said earlier about getting into danger. But what would a mere assassin like Tira be involved in?

Opening the bag that Siegfried had given to me, my fear almost subsided as the two of us silently ate the loaf of pumpernickel bread inside.

Jen: I hope that you liked this chapter. Of course it was obvious that it was Siegfried in chapter two, I mean...who else has long blonde hair and a large sword? Note that I said long blonde hair, not spikey blonde or long silver or anything else like that. One thing I love is describing characters in first POV. Tell me what you liked or didn't like about the chapter and ask about any suggestions. Please, I'd love to hear from you!


	5. The Liquor of Succession

Jen: Hey people of the world. It's been a while since I've updated on anything. School's part of it. But when is it not? Anyway I'd like to thank everyone that reviewed and read the last chapter. This is chapter five and enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Soul Calibur or anything to do with _la cantarella._

Chapter 5: The Liquor of Succession

When we returned to the hideout, the massacre was the center of commerce once we walked in. Chester was nowhere in sight, which was unusual. I could understand that he could have been angry that it was a member of another syndicate that slaughtered all those people.

"Miser, what _did_ Tira say about me during your fight?" I whispered. Looking around, she dragged me to another part of the room. Even though I knew that some things were best not heard by everybody I almost got annoyed by Miser's extreme caution every time I asked something. "Mel," she began, "Tira's been killing all those people for a reason, not just for fun. I can't say it here, but she said that she wants… to restore Soul Edge. There's only so much that I know but it might have more to do with you than what both of us think. It's best for you to disappear and find out more. Make sure he doesn't find out. Now _go_."

.

I almost understood why Siegfried warned me. His voice was stern and those blue eyes just pierced right through me. Did he intentionally kill that raven on my behalf, and possibly Misers? I read a few more pages into the diary. Apparently Cervantes was mentioned once or twice as a potential wielder of Soul Edge. He had stopped aging because the "evil seed" was a part of his blood. The evil seed controlled the minds and ladies of people to eventually serve Soul Edge.

For a moment, Tira came to mind. Was she serving Soul Edge to kill everyone she sees? Those ravens must have succumbed to the effects of the evil seed, too.

Another being was thrown in; Nightmare. It seemed less like an actual person, although Ivy addressed Nightmare as a male, as if he was a man before.

.

I was on a roof when I saw Chester in grandiose apparel. It was all white with a golden yellow belt and trimming on his jacket. He looked like a nobleman, which was probably what he was going for. Kingslayer was hidden underneath his cloak as he headed to an expensive inn that only visiting higher up nobles and royalty ever stayed. What I spotted next to the dagger was a small vile on his belt.

It seemed clear from far a distance but things didn't seem right either way. I got closer on my roof towards his direction, yet I stayed hidden. Chester knocked on the door twice, very anxiously. He was answered by a woman in a yellow dress. What little of her hair was visible in a coronet was a dark auburn. "What good timing," her haughty voice greeted him, "did you bring it?"

The vial was given to her as she pulled the cork out and took a whiff of it. "Do you think you can fool me?" the woman scowled. "It has no scent, but I promise you, Queen Aurelia, it will work. This has worked for a long time for more than one hundred years," Chester replied.

"Is it quick?"

"Very. And the best part is that it leaves no trace in the body whatsoever."

Aurelia batted her eyebrows, "You'd better be right."

As he walked away, I went to one of the balconies in which no rooms were attended. Aurelia was the wife of the king of a mainland kingdom called Dalkia; why did she need Chester? What was in the vile? _Poison_?! She came to her husband's bedchambers with a golden and jewel encrusted goblet. The man was leaving his prime years, but still had many of them left. Brown hair and eyes were oblivious to his fate from his conniving wife. Giving it to him and said, "This is an imported rare wine from Italy." The king drank all of the wine slowly and in one breath asked, "What is it called?"

As he dropped the goblet Aurelia smiled, "La cantarella." My tuition was right about suspecting it to be poison. The poor man at least died a quick death. I never knew that Chester had any of that poison. It was either stolen or had made it himself. Both were possible but hard to believe. Despite that, I needed to run and hide until tomorrow. I was going to return the diamond.

…

The next day, newsletters came all around of the Dalkian king's death. Everyone in the town had started to get fearful because of it too. The only thing I feared was Soul Edge at this point.

"Mel, there you are!"

Miser ran towards me when I was in front of the butcher's shop. "I had someone read me the news about the Dalkian king! Who'd want to do that?" I stared at her; she seemed different about him than Ivy. It was _my_ turn with the secret, "Listen, I have something to tell you, to return the favor when you helped me about Soul Edge. This is so big that our syndicate would be in jeopardy!"

She stared back at me, "You can't be serious! We can't be here to talk about this!" The next thing I could remember was going to the woods again. It was like our safe haven from society that kept everything that was said there, never released into the outside world.

"He was poisoned by the 'liquor of succession," I replied, "his wife gave it to him." Miser nodded, "Aurelia was just a power whore anyway. But what is this 'liquor of succession?'" My voice came down to a whisper, "_La cantarella. _Known for assassinations almost a century ago, but only one particular family knew the recipe for it and the antidote. But Chester apparently had gotten his hands on it and gave a decent serving to her." Although it seemed hard to comprehend, Miser understood our predicament. Either run and leave Chester with his lies, or try to expose him "Mel, if you're thinking of getting him arrested," Miser began, "everyone else will brand you as a traitor. Besides you were the only witness to the murder, no one will believe you."

She had a good point, but I had to do _something_. I shouldn't force Miser into this situation either. "I'm going to need some help, so I'll ask Ivy."

"Ivy?! We _stole_ that black diamond! Do you honestly think that she'd help us?! Not only that but you read her _diary_!"

I sighed, "It sounds stupid at first, yes. But I'll eventually learn more about Soul Edge if I gain her trust." Then I asked her, "Speaking of which, how much do you know about Nightmare?" Miser froze at the name, "The Azure Knight, Nightmare? I know… some…"

"Who is he?"

"Nobody knows for sure, but for several years he ruled from Osthreinsburg Castle in Germany. But up until a month or so ago some say that Nightmare is dead. I doubt it though," she replied with less emotion than before. As odd as it seemed, I asked and thought no more of it.

…

When Chester was absent again, I grabbed the large black jewel and headed in the direction towards the mansion. The sun was bright, but I had to go to my ruined home and wait until dark.

.

I didn't expect it to rain. It just poured down all of a sudden in the streets. With every step I took it was heavier and it began to thunder. Running into an alley, I stopped to dry off. My short hair was plastered to my face just as my bustier leggings were the same to my legs. There seemed to have time for rest, but I was sorely mistaken.

"There she is! After her!"

Men in silvery armor ran down the alley after me, so I had to run this time. All I could see what was in front of me as I fled. It took a while for them to catch up because of their swords and armor.

The dirt behind the buildings quickly turned to mud, so I my feet almost stuck with each step. And the same went for the soldiers. But I was used to running like this, so I thought I had lost them until I found myself cornered. There were three of them and only one of me. All at once they charged with blades in hand ready to best me. I made a quick leap and knocked the helmet off one of their heads.

Sword drawn, I was ready for the first attack. The one without a helmet slashed at me but I cut his cheek and kicked him to the wall. Another man ran and succeeded in a small cut on my arm. But I hit him with the hilt of my sword and slashed open his breastplate with the blade. Taking his sword in my other hand, all I needed to do was to do the same to the third man.

What happened next surprised even me.

A small explosion next to me injured my leg. Both swords that were in my hands were out of reach when I fell. The injury allowed me limited movement. I didn't feel the pain; seeing who caused it was enough. In front of me was a Cheshire cat grin with a crop of dark red hair. "Chester, please help me…"

That serpentine tone of voice of his was sarcastic and had some hidden satisfaction in it as well. "_Help?_ Mel, Mel, Mel… I'd _never_ help somebody who stole a priceless item from such a powerful noble!" I almost knew that this was coming. "You son of a bitch, you set me up!" Grinning wider he whispered to me, "You thought you could try and get me arrested, huh? Be grateful that you aren't getting executed!"

"What do you mean?"

"The slave market is coming here to get more people. You'll be on the next ship out to France."

Those were the last words I heard before everything went black.

Jen: And that's the end of this chapter. Crossing over Chronicles of the Sword and the normal storyline was how I had intended from the beginning but I originally thought of using different countries so it wouldn't sound so confusing… with the areas and all. But in the end I just decided to use the original places and people. Tell me what you think. Thanx for reading and flames are welcome.


	6. Chapter 6

Jen: Sorry for the long delay. Writer's block and other things going on are really a pain in the arse. Still, that doesn't mean I've forgotten about this fanfic. Here you go for everyone that was waiting for an update.

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur or the rights to the song _Siúl A Rún_.

Chapter 6: Starting Over

I awoke with the immediate realization of being bound in chains. My hands and feet were chained to the almost spongy feeling ship walls and floor underneath me. There was a slight rocking motion to the ship and the sound of waves crashing against the outside. Rattling chains and the familiar tone of a struggle that increased in volume as it came down to the lower deck.

"I'm telling you! I am not a mere commoner! The Kingdom of Wolfkrone needs me!"

"Even if you were, none of us have even heard of the place and we can't set you free even if we wanted to, so hold still!"

The two men with the girl came right where I was and chained her to the wall next to me. I hadn't seen her before, but she did look a little different than most people. Surprisingly, she was probably my age. Her hair was a dark red, darker than Chester's that was a little longer than mine. And she had hazel eyes; this wasn't too common, since I normally saw people with either blue or dark brown or black eyes. Green eyes weren't uncommon, but hazel ones were. One very noticeable feature about her was the small beauty mark below the left side of her bottom lip.

Her attire was better than mine, that much was certain. That is, being compared to my leather bodysuit, leggings and long boots; her blue dress was only frayed on the bottom and the sleeves. "Hello," I spoke.

Turning her head towards me, she didn't say anything. Instead she examined me up and down. "Hello. What do they call you?"

I didn't hesitate, "Melanie." Eyebrows raised, her tone was a little brighter, "Just Melanie? Not Mel or Mellie?"

"Nein, just Melanie."

"Ah… so you're German?"

My cheeks felt warmer than usual. "My father was."

"I was out searching for something far from my homeland that's near that area," she began, "And I was foolish to go alone. By the way, my name is Hildegard, but you can call me Hilde."

Somehow I felt bad. She was captured for just being at the wrong place at the wrong time, possibly. I was ashamed to even to speak about my reasons for being on this ship. But this may just be penance in some form or another. Hilde's eyes were on me as she kept looking towards me. "What is your story?"

"I was a thief that robbed just about anyone but mainly mansions. And I caught my superior assisting in a murder," I spoke with the mentioning of the murder in a lower tone, "and he must have caught me because he was the one that got me arrested and sent on this slave ship."

Hilde's expression didn't change. Her hazel eyes were still focused and I saw belief and no contempt. "You don't look like the type of person that would be a criminal of any sort. Honestly, Melanie, you don't." Then she suddenly looked around and asked, "Do you per chance know where this ship is headed?" I remembered that those were the last words Chester said to me before I was knocked out and woke up here.

"France."

She crossed her arms. I heard her mutter something under her breath. "France… not too terribly far… but…" Why did she really need to get back? What role did she have in the Kingdom of Wolfkrone? Was she a messenger? Or something more?

While I drifted off to sleep, I remembered a Celtic folksong that my mother once sang to me as a child as the waves kept time.

_Siúil, siúil, siúil a rúin_

_Siúil go sochair agus siúil go ciúin_

_Siúil go doras agus ealaigh liom_

_Is go dtéann tú mo mhuirnín slán_

_Síul a rún_ was Gaelic for _walk, my love._ It was a love song that now reminded me of now… somewhat…

_I wish I was on yonder hill,_

'_Tis there I'd sit and cry my fill,_

_Till every tear would turn a mill._

_I'll sell my rock, I'll sell my reel,_

_I'll sell my only spinning wheel,_

_To buy my love a sword of steel…_

_I'll dye my petticoats, I'll dye them red_

_And round the world I'll beg my bread_

_Until my parents shall wish me dead_

_Is go dtí tú mo mhuirnín slán_

_I wish, I wish, I wish in vain_

_I wish I had my heart again_

_And vainly think I'd not complain_

_Is go dtéann tú mo mhuirnín slán_

_And now my love has gone to France_

_To try his fortune to advance_

_If he e'er comes back 'tis but a chance_

_Is go dtéann tú mo mhuirnín slán_

_Siúil, siúil, siúil a rúin_

_Siúil go sochair agus siúil go ciúin_

_Siúil go doras agus ealaigh liom_

_Is go dtéann tú mo mhuirnín slán_

Somehow that song related to me now… as I was going to France. But I wasn't in love with anyone. Was I…? Even in my sleep I fought over the matter, especially when a familiar face with sapphire blue eyes and that beautiful long golden hair. But why…? _"Melanie, don't give up…"_

"Siegfried!"

The dark lower deck surrounded me when I sat up. Someone who was not too far from me threw something towards my head and many others moaned from lack of sleep. Hilde turned and opened her hazel eyes. "I don't know about you, but some people need their sleep!" Yawning, I quickly apologized to her and the others.

"Who is Siegfried?"

"What are you talking about?"

She gave me a puzzled look. "You screamed his name thus waking everyone here with your sudden outburst. Who is he?"

Who is he? What a question. Not even _I_ knew for certain. He was a zweïnhander-wielding German who was probably six years older than me at best. His true identity was a true mystery to me.

"Perhaps… someone that you love?"

My face flushed as I shook my head, "Nein! I barely even know him!" She almost looked taken aback but not too seriously stunned. Hilde then asked, "What does he look like? Is he handsome?"

I nodded as his image faded into my mind. The only thing I worried about was not being able to see him again. But if he ever went back to Germany… I might go there one day… hopefully…

"Golden blonde, his hair is almost halfway down his back and he has a scar that starts from the right side of his forehead down to his cheek and across one of his eyes... which happen to be a beautiful shade of blue. And… he wields a zweïnhander with his left hand, predominantly." She soon smiled, as if she liked my description of him. Even I couldn't deny the fact that Siegfried was handsome, but that was as far as it went for me.

When light finally came through the porthole, I squinted my eyes. Suddenly the men above deck were clapping their hands as if they were applauding Queen Elizabeth herself and shouting happily as if they were at the Black Tail Inn. Whether they were sober, I couldn't tell. But then again, only a true lush would be drunk in the morning. Then the bell rang, that could have only meant one thing: they found land. Standing up to take a peek outside, I was right. "Hilde, we've reached France!"

…

The ship landed at a well crowded sea-port. It was humiliating when all of us were escorted in heavy chains among them. Their jeers were more towards me and Hilde than anyone else. Me, for my attire and my somewhat short and unkempt hair that I had always been cutting myself and… I don't know why for Hilde, though. Whether her face or her clothes, she didn't look average either.

We stood in the town square; ten of us at a time. Many men had walked up and touched my face and grabbed my arms. Although they gave me looks that other women would appreciate, they didn't attempt to buy me. In the crowd approaching was one person that didn't appear to be just another face. He looked to be around thirty with handsome features. Blonde hair that was slicked back in exception of one strand that hung over in his eyes. It wasn't like Siegfried, more ash than gold. His eyes were what looked abnormal; almost crimson. A dark green jacket lined in crimson flapped in the sea breeze and brown breeches adorned his legs. He looked like a nobleman, the rapier on his belt proved it. The people around him seemed to drift away as he approached me and the other slave girls. I saw his eyes shift towards me and scrutinize every inch of my person. Not long did a vampiric smile lace his lips.

"What do you want for this young lady?"

The trader closest to me made a frown at me and told him, "I don't recommend her, monsieur. She's not only English, but a criminal at that. A common thief. What about this one over here? Ignore the beauty mark, but she's quite docile once she settles in." I saw Hilde make a sneer at the fat dealer and held my breath. But the latter's vampiric smile only deepened, as if that was what he was looking for. "No, this girl will be fine. Any sum would suit me fine."

"10 Franks."

I didn't know how much that really was, but I assumed it wasn't very much at all. And then my chains were unlocked and the trader shoved me away saying, "Be careful with this one."

Taken by the hand, I was led through the crowd and only looked back at Hilde, who had a look of dismay on her face. I couldn't help her now. My life was now in a different direction and I guess I had to go along with it for now. When I turned my head to my front, I saw a horse-drawn carriage. Before I knew it, I sat inside it opposite of my new master. At first, I didn't know what to think. I worried about Hilde. Would she eventually get to Wolfkrone? Then as the time passed, the thought left me. All my worry left me. I was now going to start a new life.

"What is your name, young lady?"

My name is Melanie, sir."

A light chuckle rose in his throat. His demeanor was less serious than I had thought. "If you must formally address me, just call me Lord Raphael. I don't want to seem overpowering to you."

I started, "Lord Raphael, may I ask why you chose me other the other girls?" Raphael smiled, less vampiric, "Your criminal background intrigued me, as well as that determined look in your eyes." He paused for a moment, and then he continued, "My adoptive daughter, Amy, needs someone to accompany her whenever she goes into town. Someone that is good with the sword as well as quick with the mind. Most criminals are always armed and know how to use a weapon. Do you, Melanie?"

"Yes, I am good with the sword, my lord."

I had to ask about this girl, Amy. What was she like? "How old is Amy?"

"Not much older than you, maybe a three or four year difference."

.

We eventually stopped at a lavish mansion with green shrubs that made a symmetrical pattern in the yard. It was fancier than Ivy's, by far. But that was just my opinion. "If you think _this_ is impressive, I have a large flower garden out back. You may go whenever you aren't on duty."

"What is my work here?" Other than my swordsmanship, I was only good at cleaning house. "What is your fighting style? Do you know a particular one or is it just… merely self-taught skills?" My father once trained landsknechts in Germany and when we left to go to England, he taught me how to use a sword. But I also taught myself a lot of my fighting style. "A lot of it is self-taught, but my father taught me some before he and my mother died." He stopped in his tracks and said, "So you're an orphan. So is Amy. But if you must ask about your job, all you need do is to protect her whenever she goes out. That is all. You are free to do anything else for you are not only her bodyguard and my servant but a new member of our family until I can tell you to leave. Understand?" With those last words he spoke, Raphael turned towards me. Then his eyes looked over me again and he smiled, "And you'll have to get out of _those_ as soon as possible." It was obvious that my attire was more than just worn to shreds, but I didn't expect him to actually say anything about it, let alone care.

The two of us walked inside an entrance I would call nothing less than ostentatious. There was a scarlet carpet that led from the front door to a flight of stairs to the very top. A golden glow gave off to the room that seemed to welcome me to my new home.

"Father?"

A girl younger than I was had rushed down the stairs to embrace Raphael. Her eyes were a pale greenish blue and lavish red hair tied in dark violet ribbons. The girl must have been in bed because she was wearing a crisp white night shift. "Amy, I have found someone that will be your bodyguard. Her name is Melanie."

She curtsied then held out her hand, "I am pleased to meet you, Melanie." Her smile was warm, but I could see insecurities and pain beyond it. "Melanie is to accompany you whenever you go to town alone, so I will have less to worry about now." Amy thanked him quietly and rushed upstairs to her room on invisible fairy wings. Raphael smiled at the girl and turned towards me. "Tomorrow after breakfast I will test your swordsmanship myself. Do you think you will be up to it?"

Eventually, I knew I would be tested for his approval. But Lord Raphael was the last person I expected to spar against.

…

I had gotten a quick bath before breakfast. In a long time, I never knew how wonderful a bath was because I was lost to bathe when my parents were alive. The warm water felt marvelous against my skin and for once my hair felt some justice. Combing it through with my fingers, I didn't want to get out.

Then I dressed in the finest clothes I could ever imagine. A short-sleeved blue dress with a rose pattern with a ruffled skirt was what I had decided to wear. My dark lace-up boots were still not unscathed and so I wore them with my dress. Then looking outside out the window, I saw the many bright colors of the flowers in the garden. I'd soon have to see them for myself.

Amy was the only one there to eat breakfast with me. On the table were croissants and fruit tarts. I ate a raspberry tart and a croissant that was filled with the best chocolate that ever touched my tongue. From being in England for so long I had developed a sweet tooth and I had to restrain from eating so many because of my match with Raphael later on today. Speaking of which, "Amy, do you know where Lord Raphael is?" I asked her. She sipped her tea and replied, "Father went to town this morning. He'll probably be back at nine-thirty or so." The hallway clock struck nine; it wouldn't be long until I faced Raphael.

To pass the time, I went to the back of the estate to view the flower garden. It was more magnificent than when I had seen it through my window. The varieties and scents were alluring and absolutely beautiful in the morning sun. There was a large bed of irises and camellias to my right. Large pink, red and yellow rose bushes were scattered all throughout the garden.

A large fountain of water stood in the middle of the garden. The small pool of water that gathered at the bottom shimmered so much that my eyes were sore from the sunlight's glare. I looked down again to see my face. Some of my hair was out of my eyes, which saw Siegfried's face next to mine. His rough, deep, yet charismatic voice said to me, "Remember… your cause… your skills... no one can take that from you. _No one_." Those intense eyes pulled me to them once again, but within flames, he completely vanished. Another figure emerged from the flames and smoke with glowing red-orange eyes. There was no visible face, just a dark blue helmet that I at first mistook for black with a red horn protruding from the forehead and what looked like a sea-horse's fin from the top of head down towards the back of the neck. Its voice was similarly course like Siegfried's, but was full of malice and pure evil. "Give me… your soul…"

I let out a yelp when I drew back from the fountain. Falling flat on my back, I noticed Raphael was standing above me. A single eyebrow was raised, probably out of curiosity. "Lord Raphael… you've returned." His crimson eyes complimented his smirk, "And not a moment to spare. Amy had told me that you wandered into the courtyard. Was the glare from the sun too bright?" Standing up, I shook my head, "No sir. I must have been just seeing things." He tossed me a sword almost as soon as his own was drawn. The sword I had received was a double-edged, blade as long as his, which happened to be a rapier. Mine had no hand-guard like his either, but it was no less wieldy. The blade was thick but not very flat. It had four angular sides at the point that widened, and then remained the same down to the hilt. Raphael's rapier had a single edge and an ornate red hand-guard that I knew was for more than just decoration.

He grinned before slashing at me three times. I blocked them all and returned his gesture. Rapiers, I knew were also used to impale as well as for slashing. Once, he did attempt to at my side, but I stepped to the side. Raphael held it up to strike higher than my stomach, cutting my right arm. I switched hands and I made an almost considerable cut on his neck. It wasn't too serious, but it drew blood nonetheless. Instead of grunting in pain, he chuckled. Especially when we clashed our blades again, "No wonder that portly slave trader worried when I took you: you're a natural!" I twisted my wrist around which made my sword knock his out of his grip. It flew into the air and landed blade-first into the ground. "Danke," I replied with a smile.

…

Later that day, Amy wanted to go to the marketplace. My dress suited me fine because it wasn't too fancy nor did it place me as an average commoner. The only thing I did now that I had done under Chester was use my boots to hide my sword and the skirt concealed the hilt from where I'd draw it lest it became necessary. Amy was wearing a violet gothic style dress and her hair was in pigtails and a rose adorned one of them.

The coachman had barely entered the town when I told him to let us out. Amy told him to meet us there at three o' clock. I didn't know this town, so I let her lead the way. "What do you think, Melanie?" Amy asked me.

"About living here?"

"Yes. Is this any better than what you had before?" I couldn't lie to her but I shouldn't say too much, yet. "It is a lot better, and I feel like I'm starting anew with a clean slate. There are things I have done in the past I'm not proud of and being here must be to atone for it by protecting you, Amy."

A faint smile crossed her lips as we walked to downtown as she spotted some black roses.

……………………………

Jen: There it is! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm glad I got to type this one out. Tell me what you think and don't feel shy. Flames are welcome. Laters!


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